Lost in the Playground
by Demidevieevee
Summary: Dean Winchester and Castiel Novak came from broken families and broken homes. And honestly, both of them are a little broken themselves. Maybe that's why, when they're together, they don't seem to feel as shattered. They'll figure it out eventually.
1. Late Night Nostalgia

**Lost in the Playground**

**Summary/ **Dean Winchester and Castiel Novak came from broken families and broken homes. And honestly, both of them are a little broken themselves. Maybe that's why, when they're together, they don't seem to feel as shattered. They'll figure it out eventually.

**Track One/ Late Night Nostalgia**

/[+]\\

Castiel Novak loves long car rides.

He loves peering out the window as land and scenery whizzes past, and he loves having his earphones jammed into his ears so that his present three siblings' bickering is blocked out, and he loves Coldplay. What he doesn't like, though, is moving. I mean, he understands why they have to. His older brother Michael's new job at a Lawrence, Kansas paper factory is going to pay better than his older one. But that also means that they have to move their family into a new house.

And as they pull up into the driveway in Michael's old Mustang, Castiel has to admit. Their new place could be nice after some work. It's a brick two-story, and while there's vines growing on the front and the yard needs mowing, Castiel finds the place has potential to feel like home. They got a good deal on it, and Michael used some of the money that their father had left them when the man himself had left.

Their father's name is Chuck Shurley, and he's a rather famous (yet secretive) author who'd written a bestselling sci-fi series and garnered a small fortune. Recently, though, he'd left his children on their own, citing that he needed to find more inspiration for his books. Chuck promised that he'd be back, but most of his children had long ago lost faith in a man who never kept any of his promises.

Castiel is the last to get out of the car, because he's slow to turn off his shiny, light blue iPod. He pockets it with a heavy sigh, and finally opens the door. He steps out and the car bobs at the weight lost before the teenager casts his gaze about his new home. Castiel doesn't have time to gasp before he feels a heavy arm thrown around his shoulders, and it nearly knocks him over. When he looks up with wide eyes, he's staring at his older brother Gabriel's gap-toothed grin.

"Homesick, Cassie?" The brunet asks with his usual drawling tone, and his younger brother ducks his head, shrugging his small shoulders. Gabriel's bigger than he is, and his big brother's weight makes him lean to the side and nearly stagger.

"No," He answers honestly, "I was just thinking." Gabriel groans, and pushes off of Castiel, though not roughly.

"Ya know, there _is_ such a thing as thinking _too much_. Just roll with things for once. You're always thinking things over too much, kiddo." Gabe waggles a finger in Castiel's face. "Gonna have wrinkles by the time you're thirty!" Castiel pushes the hand away, and it's really hard not to smile.

"Oh, shut up." He mutters, and his attention is caught by his sister waving an arm from the doorstep. Gabriel groans. "Here we go…"

"Castiel!" She shouts, and starts hopping down the steps and towards her brothers. There's a big smile on Anna's face. "It's beautiful! I think it's going to be perfect for us. You and Michael did a good job finding this place, Gabriel." Her praise is obviously given begrudgingly, and her older brother's chest puffs up with pride.

"No probs, sis. And, it's got a basement! I say youngest gets it." Gabriel says with an airy tone, and Castiel shrugs again. "Okay. It doesn't matter to me." Castiel's big brother punches him on the shoulder gently, and grins. "Awesome! That means one less bitch-fit."

Just as Gabriel finishes his sentence, the moving truck turns to rumble down their street, and pulls outside their new house. The two large men inside step out, and Gabriel perks up. "Imma go boss these guys around. Go check out your room, Cassie~" The man waves a hand as he strides off, and Anna shoots the back of his head a glare. She turns to look at her younger brother, and her eyes soften. She then places a hand on Castiel's lower arm, and her blue eyes are filled with concern.

"…You _are _alright, aren't you, Castiel? I know it's hard to move out of the house you've been in your whole life." Her voice is soft, and Castiel smiles. It looks forced, and she knows it.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Are you guys going to be alright for a little while? I think I need a walk. Just to look around and… You know." Castiel clears his throat, and Anna smiles this time. "Of course. Go and clear your mind. We'll unpack." She stands on her toes to kiss Castiel's forehead, and her brother doesn't even care that there's probably lip gloss left there.

Castiel jams his hands into his baggy jean pockets, and starts off down the drive way. On a whim, he turns right. The only sounds are his flip-flops slapping against his feet, and the occasional squeal of young children. Of course, there's birds singing, but Castiel doesn't notice it, really.

The houses are all pretty much well-kept, and he has to appreciate the small community feel. There's a park, and a small general store that's probably been there for generations, but Castiel doesn't stop at them. He keeps going, and he's been walking for only about fifteen minutes when he sees what he was looking for: the cemetery.

He walks through the big, rusted, iron gates quietly, glancing around the area as he moves further into the cemetery. It was quiet and peaceful, and exactly what he was looking for. In Kansas City, it was a lot bigger, and people were always in and out. Funerals were always going on.

Here, there isn't anyone. It's utterly quiet, except for the rustling of the many trees overhead. Castiel was missing his old cemetery, but this one would grow on him. He could feel it.

The grass is damp with dew in shady places, and it catches on his feet as he trudges through the short-cut grass. It's not exactly a pleasant feeling, but Castiel ignores it. He eventually finds a stone path, but instead of taking it, he looks to his left, and there, under a rather large oak tree, is a man. He thinks. At least, it looks like a guy from here. The man's standing with what looks like a bouquet in his hands, and Castiel, curiosity getting the better of him, can't help but watch.

The man kneels, and Castiel briefly wonders if he's talking to whoever is buried there. Before he can think better of what he's thinking of doing, he's walking towards the other man quickly, but quietly. He's just curious, that's all.

Soon enough, Castiel is close enough so that he can hear, and his walking speed slows dramatically as he strains to listen to the other's deep voice.

"…Sam's been doin' alright. I mean, he's a big nerd, but I bet you'd be real happy about it." Castiel can hear the other clear his throat. "And Dad… Well, you know how he is. He's still drinking." The man's voice is wavering, Castiel can tell. And Castiel is really itching to see the name on the headstone that this guy's in front of, so he steps forward, and-

_Snap!_

It was like God (not that Castiel believed in something like that; that was Michael's thing,) had set that stick right there, just so Castiel would step right onto it. His heart sinks at once, and his blue eyes are wide and wild. The other man immediately turns, and there's a quizzical look on his young face, and Castiel's breath catches. This guy, to be blunt, could be a fucking _model_.

The two males stand and kneel there for a near minute, until the man at the grave clears his throat, obviously uncomfortable. "…So, uh… You lost?" He asks awkwardly, hurriedly wiping at his eyes. Castiel flinches before straightening some, hands flexing at his sides.

"I… My name is Castiel," He starts awkwardly, "Novak. Castiel Novak, I mean… I-I just moved here." As if that would explain what he was doing in a cemetery. The other guy seems to be thinking the same thing, and he sets his flowers down slowly before standing. He's about Castiel's height, and definitely around his age.

"'Castiel'? Never heard anything like that before." He brushes his hands off on his jeans, and extends one of them. "Dean Winchester. You must be pretty lost to end up in a cemetery," Dean's tone is teasing, and Castiel's face goes red as they shake hands. His head drops so that he's looking at his feet.

"…I like coming to places like this. It's… Peaceful." Castiel's voice is quiet, and he picks up his head to fix Dean with his stare. "So… Who's that?" He gestures towards the grave, and the other man tenses. Dean is quiet for a long while, and Castiel begins to wonder if he's _ever_ going to say anything, before Dean finally replies.

"My mom." He says simply, and shoves his hands in his pockets. Castiel's heart gives a little lurch; even more so at Dean's laugh, which is an ugly, bitter-sounding thing. "Died when I was a kid. House caught on fire in the middle of the night, and…" He trails off, eyebrows slanting downwards in a scowl before shaking his head. Castiel wrings the bottom of his too-big oatmeal sweater in his hands, and swallows thickly.

"I'm sorry." Castiel's voice is sincere, and Dean seems to believe him, because his expression softens, and his tongue darts out to wet his lips. Finally, he looks up and flashes a sad smile at the other man. "Thanks, man. But it's okay, ya know. I'm seventeen; got over this a long time ago."

"You never truly get over a death like that." Castiel's voice is firm, and Dean looks curious. He replies slowly, but the curiosity is there in his voice. "How would you know?" Castiel scratches his cheek, and his smile is bitter.

"…My mother died, too. I never knew her, but my brothers and father tell me she was the best woman they've ever known. They tell me she was… Kind." Castiel shuffles on his feet, and it gets very quiet. When he looks back up, tentatively, Dean is looking at him with a hard-to-read expression. Finally, the other man exhales and fixes him with a soft smile, and Castiel relaxes some.

"Guess we're kinda alike, then." Dean says thoughtfully, and Castiel manages a teeny smile himself. "I wasn't eavesdropping, but I heard you say something about your father… That he drinks." Castiel pauses and cocks his head, bottom lip caught between his teeth. "We may be more alike than we think."

Dean returns the smile with a grin, and he gives his mother's grave a last glance before moving to clap Castiel on the shoulder. He ignores how the other teen jumps. "…You're gonna be going to Westwood High, right? I'll see you there." Dean flashes another handsome smile Dean's way, and Castiel manages a nod.

"O… Okay. Goodbye," He forces out, and Dean stalks off, waving a hand.

"Laters, Cas~" Castiel watches Dean leave with wide eyes, and slowly turns to Mary Winchester's grave. He says a prayer to no one in particular for her, and sets a hand on the cool granite before turning away. Cas bundles up more in his sweater, and starts off, a bounce in his step.

-x-x-x-

When Castiel finally gets home, there are boxes everywhere, and it's chaotic because Gabriel and Michael are fighting over how to arrange furniture. Anna's playing referee, and as Castiel hurries to the kitchen, he catches snippets of the conversation.

"…All I'm saying, Gabriel, is that it would make more sense to have the loveseat turned _this_ way. The colours won't match if we arrange the room as you are suggesting." Michael's trying hard to keep calm, but he's obviously incredibly irritated. Gabriel laughs out loud. It almost sounds like he's objecting to whatever Michael suggests just to be a jackass. He probably is.

"Mikey, that is the gayest thing you've _ever_ said. Does it really matter if the goddamned colours don't mat-"

"How _dare_ you! I told you not to blaspheme in front of me!" Michael's really showing anger now, and Anna bravely gets right in between her brothers. "Gabriel and Michael, stop! Why don't we do it like this…" And so she went on to settle a compromise, and Castiel hid a smile as he moved into the kitchen. He browsed the half-unpacked boxes, unpacking silverware and small appliances, before he feels a familiar presence against his legs.

"_Mrowr?"_

Castiel looks down and cracks a grin when he sees his cat, Angel, who's peering up at him with her bright green eyes, tail curling question marks in the air. He bends to scoop her up, and cuddles the feline against his chest.

"You'd think you'd be somewhere hiding," He murmurs as he scratches her head, and she head butts his chin, purring seeming to have gained a turbo boost. Cas leaves the kitchen for his room, and luckily isn't noticed. He descends the stairs and into the basement, (stepping over what he presumes are his boxes on the way,) which has a stone floor and nice walls. Most of Castiel's boxes are already on the floor, and so is his bed and furniture.

Angel wriggles out of his arm and hops onto the floor without a sound before inspecting her new home. Michael doesn't like the cat, so Castiel promised that he'd keep her in his room. Luckily, it's spacious, and there's nothing that the kitty can get into that'd hurt her.

In the corner, there's a water heater, but Anna had suggested that they could hide that with a curtain. There's even a nook that could serve as a closet. Castiel doesn't even care about the pipes that can be seen overhead, and simply starts to unpack, starting with the rugs that he'd brought.

After a couple hours, Castiel has everything set up, and he stands with a satisfied sigh after setting his clothes in the dresser and hanging Celine Dion, Wicked (the musical,) and Michael Jackson posters. His room is pretty nice, and he can't help but be a little bit proud of himself. Music's a big part of his life, and he's relieved that the walls are thick so that he could sing down here without Gabriel teasing him.

Castiel sits in the edge of his freshly-made bed gingerly, and exhales a breath. He crosses his hands in his lap and closes his eyes, humming to himself softly, until soft words are leaving his lips.

"_The world is too heavy, too big for my shoulders._

_Come take the weight off me, now…_

_Thousands of answers to one simple question._

_Come take the weight off me now._

_I'm like a kid who just won't let it go.  
>Twisting and turning the colours in rows.<em>

_I'm so intent to find out what it is._

_This is my Rubik's Cube; I know I can figure it out…"_

Castiel would have sang longer, but his voice trails off when he hears a small commotion and something shattering upstairs. It sounds like Gabriel may have broken a plate, and he can hear Michael's voice rising. _"…So clumsy!" _and _"troublesome!" _being his favourite phrases for the moment. Castiel could swear that he hears Gabe chortling.


	2. Even Angels Have Their Wicked Schemes

**Track Two/ Even Angels Have Their Wicked Schemes**

/[+]\\

It takes the better part of three days three days for Castiel, Michael, Gabriel, and Anna to settle into their new home. Gabriel mows the lawn and does most of the outside work, while Anna and Castiel do the "sissy stuff," as their older brother had put it. Michael's always, of course, at work. But he's pleased to see the progress when he gets home, and he even compliments Gabriel on it. Gabe had said "Whatever. Way to be a condescending bastard." But he does look sort of proud of himself.

Monday finally rolls around, and Castiel and Anna have to head to their new school for the first time. Michael tries to convince Gabriel to look for a job before he heads off to work himself, and Gabriel snorts.

"I already _have_ a job, chief," He informs smugly while he's lying on the couch, one leg propped on the back of the furniture while the other hung lazily off the end. Michael raises an eyebrow. "Is that so…? And what does it entail?" Gabriel shoots him a cheeky grin. "Oh, just a little something known as: Being Awesome. I'm CEO, by the way. I don't get paid for it, but the benefits are pretty boss."

Michael's eyes get so narrow.

But either way, Castiel and Anna leave for school soon enough, and they walk side by side. Anna is rather talkative and excited, but Castiel is quiet and obviously preoccupied with thoughts and worries. His older sister keeps sending him worried looks.

The high school is nice and rather big, and there's a lot of students, but not nearly as many as there was back in Kansas City. Anna seems to sense her brother's anxiety, and she smiles wide at him, giving him a pat on the back.

"Castiel. Don't look so worried, okay? Everything's going to be alright, just you wait." She promises, and her brother opens his mouth to speak, but is cut off by the "put-put-put" of an engine. He turns curiously, and his eyebrows immediately shoot up at what he sees.

Cas knows squat about cars, but this one impresses him. It's a shiny, jet black Chevy, that much he knows, and it's a classic model. That doesn't mean it's not in immaculate condition, though. In short, if the phrase "bad ass" was a car, this would be it. Anna whistles appreciatively, but Castiel doesn't hear it, because the car parks not too far away, and Dean Winchester is stepping out. Castiel's mouth goes dry, and his sister blinks in curiosity.

"…Do you know him, Castiel? You've got this… Look… On your face," She says slowly. Her brother nods jerkily, and- Oh god, Dean's seen him.

Castiel's tense by the time Dean jogs his way, and Anna looks between them curiously. Dean grins when he comes to a stop in front of the teen he'd met not all too long ago. "Cas! Hey, man. Good to see ya, even if it's damn early." He claps Castiel on the shoulder, not seeming to notice the other man's flushed face.

"…It is nice to see you, as well, Dean." Cas manages, and Dean smiles at him before jerking his head Anna's way, who is still looking confused. "Who's this? Girlfriend?" He asks, straightforward, and Castiel sputters while Anna laughs. She offers her hand for a handshake.

"Nope, I'm his sister. I'm Anna, by the way." She grins when Dean shakes her hand warmly. "And what about you? Boyfriend?"

Castiel wishes that he could disappear. Still, Dean takes it in stride and laughs, not seeming too offended. "Nah, sweetheart. We just met the other day. But I sure can tell you guys are siblings now that I see you up close. You've both got those weird blue eyes."

Castiel blushes.

Anna averts her eyes with a terse nod, and glances her brother's way. Something seems to click, and she smiles. "Ohhh. Well, if you guys wanna walk together, I can…" She jabs a thumb towards the school, and Castiel hurries to object. But Dean's already patting his back and grinning, and Cas tenses, unsure.

"Sure. Catch you later, sugar." Dean waves as Anna blushes and hurries off, and Castiel actually chuckles, making his companion throw him a quizzical look. The shorter teen manages a smile.

"Usually, if a guy were to call her some pet names like you just did, she'd have kneed him in the nuts by now." He informs coolly, and Dean clucks his tongue. The pair slowly start walking towards the school.

"Ouch. Guess I'm just special." Dean seems pretty proud of himself, and Castiel goes quiet, pulling at his oversized hoodie's drawstrings. "…You have a nice car, by the way." Castiel murmurs, and Dean instantly lights up with the biggest smile.

"Yeah, thanks. She's my baby! Know much about cars?"

Castiel laughs softly. "No, not really." Dean laughs himself, and scrubs a hand over his short hair. "Guess it's not fair that my dad's a mechanic, though. Guy taught me everything he knows."

Cas perks up some at the mention of Dean's family life. He has a feeling that this guy is one of those people who never talk about private things like feelings and family, so he lets the topic go, until he glances up Dean's way again.

"Does this school… Have a show choir club?" He asks unsurely, and something flickers on Dean's face, but he chuckles. It definitely seems forced.

"Glee club? Ah, yeah, we do. Why? Your sister sing?" Castiel swallows and scratches the back of his neck, and Dean's mouth quirks into a smile.

"So _you're_ the artist of the family?" Dean pats Cas' shoulder. "Hey man, don't worry about it. It's cool, really."

Castiel is obviously relieved, and Dean opens the school door for him. "So? What kinda tunes do you sing?" He actually sounds curious, so Castiel clears his throat.

"…Usually things akin to Coldplay and The Killers. And Matt Nathanson." Castiel sounds sheepish, and he starts to panic when Dean's face gets the most offended look to it. Finally, Dean shakes his head with a sigh. "Dude. Really? No AC/DC? Bon Jovi? The Who?" Castiel gives him a blank look that says all too clearly that he has no idea what Dean's saying.

"…Bon Jovi? They perform that song "We Weren't Born to Fol-""

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Stop!" Dean looks disbelieving. "You need, like, music _rehab_. We've got to hang out so you can listen to some real music." He informs, and Castiel feels his heart flutter. "…I'd like that." Castiel smiles sheepishly, and Dean scratches at his chin, looking determined.

"…You're gonna be auditioning for glee club today, right?" Castiel nods, and Dean fixes him with a serious look.

"Think you'll get in?" He asks nonchalantly, but Cas doesn't miss the faint hint of curiosity there. It's his turn to look serious, so he nods carefully.

"I am… Not a prideful person. But yes, I am fairly confident." Dean's suddenly grinning, and Castiel tries not to smile back but it's a losing battle, and his lips twitch.

"Tell you what, Cas. I'll go with you to the audition. Listen to your chops and all that." Dean says, and Castiel perks up some. The other teen smirks.

"And if you get in, hands down, no contest, I'll audition too,"

Castiel can't believe his ears. Does… Dean sing, too? He doesn't seem like the type. He seems like the jock, popular guy type, and that's why Castiel's mouth hangs open as he stares at the other man with in incredulous look. Dean's grinning.

"Deal? I'll be there right after I go and pick up my little brother from his school. See ya." He pats on Castiel's arm as the bell rings, and starts towards the school. Castiel takes a moment to get a hold of his thoughts and arrange them into something comprehensible, and finally swallows.

"Dean!" He hurries after him, and Dean turns, looking curious. Cas licks his lips. "What… What music do _you_ sing?"

Dean's smile is unbelievingly charming. "Ever hear a song called 'Don't Stop Believing?'"

-x-x-x-

Castiel's first day of classes goes by unbearably slow. He pays attention, because he's a good student, but the day drags by. Dean is in his homeroom and biology, algebra, and gym classes (not to mention lunch,) so he sees the other through a good portion of the day. During lunch, Castiel dared to hope that he and Dean could sit together, but he ended up eating with Anna in the end.

Anna seemed to sense that her brother was disappointed, so she points out that Dean's a popular guy.

"Look at him; he's got a lot of friends," She had pointed out, "Soon enough, I'm sure he'll like you so much that he'll want to hang out with you above everybody else." Castiel snorted "Shut up," and reluctantly described how Dean might join glee club. His sister was very happy for him.

So now Castiel is standing just outside the auditorium, where his teacher had told him to go for auditions, fidgeting like crazy because _god_. Dean Winchester is about the coolest guy he's ever met. And that's including Gabriel and Balthazar and Brandon Flowers.

So to say he's "pretty cool" is kind of an understatement.

Just as Castiel is about to open his mouth to practice, it figures that Dean would show up, too. The guy's got crazy timing.

"Hey, Cas," Dean calls from down the hall, and Castiel snaps around, wide-eyed and startled, before smiling shakingly. "Hello, Dean…" He sort of trails off, because there's someone else with his classmate.

And shit, he's tall. Cas can tell that he's probably three or four years younger than either of them, but the kid's nearly Dean's height already, and he has dark brown, shaggy hair that nearly hangs in his eyes. He must be Dean's brother, but Castiel probably wouldn't have ever guessed. When they draw closer, though, he can see some of the resemblance.

The kid automatically smiles (charming smiles, Cas thinks, must run in the family,) and sheepishly sticks his hands in hoodie pockets. Dean ruffles the kid's hair, and before his brother can protest or introduce himself, speaks loudly.

"Cas, meet Sammy. He's not as much of a wimp as he looks, don't worry-" Dean laughs as Sam pushes the hand off his hair with a great huff.

"Hey, man…" The kid groans, "Get offa me! And I told you not to call me that…" Sam's pouting now, trying to fix his hair back into place, and his big brother's obviously trying to force down his big grin. Castiel finds himself smiling at the brotherly affection in front of him. It reminded him of himself and his big brother Balthazar. Dean finally pats on Sam one last time.

"Fine. Cas, you gotta call him Sam. I'm the only one that can call him Sammy, 'kay- Whoops! Easy there, Mike Tyson!" Sam had thrown a half-hearted punch his brother's way, which Dean had easily dodged. The younger Winchester finally seems to have given up on getting even with Dean, so he sighs and quirks an eyebrow Castiel's way.

"…So _you're_ Cas?" Sam queries, and Castiel feels his ears get red.

"Oh… Um. Yes," He manages, and Dean swats at Sam's arm in warning. Still, his brother gets a mischievous look on his face and keeps talking. "Dean said he met you when he went to see Mom. The way he was talking, I thought he'd met a pretty girl- OW!" Sam yelps when he's elbowed in the side, and Dean gives a laugh, licking his lips afterwards. If Castiel were in his position, he knew he'd be speechless in embarrassment, but Dean's demeanour is pretty cool.

"Oh, can it, Sam. S'not like you don't talk about Tony Stark like he's your damn wet dream." That shuts Sam up abruptly, even if Dean's tone is teasing.

Cas is sort of left in the dust, and Dean claps him on the shoulder with an apologetic smile and raised eyebrows. "Sorry, dude. Forgot that we were even here to audition for a second there." Dean sighs. "Teacher should be here any second."

Castiel's smile is small but genuine. "You two are close…" Dean grins at that, and Castiel continues. "It's nice that Sam doesn't mind the…" Castiel's cheeks feel a little hot. "…The music." Sam smirks, but it doesn't look mischievous.

"Why should I? He can sing, so it's not like I have to tell him to stop 'cause he sucks." Dean flips his brother off. Sam's expression falls somewhat when he glances his big brother's way. "…'Sides, he loves it. It's just our dad… He doesn't like it much."

Castiel's gaze flicks Dean's way, but the other man is simply staring at the audition board. There's the click of heels behind them, and all three of the boys turn. Dean looks like he was about to groan.

The woman now in front of them smiles warmly. "Hi, boys," She greets with a friendly southern twang, "You can call me Missouri. I'm your glee coach."

Missouri is a kind-looking black woman who's, while a bit on the plump side, pretty. The woman doesn't really dress like a teacher; more like a fashionista. She looks like she could be strict, but Castiel isn't intimidated at all. So he smiles.

"It's nice to meet you… I'm Castiel Novak," He says shyly, and goes to introduce Dean and Sam, but she waves a hand, jewellery flashing.

"Oh, I know him. Dean and I are real friendly in detention." Missouri gives Dean a pointed look, and he averts his gaze after clearing his throat. The woman waves at Sam, though. "And this is Sam. Getting tall, boy."

Sam looks a little proud of himself, and Missouri claps her hands. "Well, let's get this show on the road! Go on in and get ready. Up the stairs to the right, yes." She shoos the three into the auditorium, "Did you bring sheet music?"

Castiel opens his messenger bag and pulls a few sheets of paper out of a folder that was obviously for sheet music, and Dean has to dig in his backpack for a moment to retrieve his from in between what looks like homework that was probably due two months ago. His is crumpled and wrinkled, and Missouri looks disapproving, but she doesn't say anything. Dean raises a finger.

"Oh, yeah," He mentions, "I'm gonna try out if this guy gets in." Dean says, pointing Castiel's way. Missouri smiles wide and nods. "You got it. Now get up there, Castiel."

Castiel hurries up on stage, flip flops slapping the only sounds in the auditorium, and hands the musicians on stage his music before tentatively coming to stand in front of the microphone, shifting his weight from foot to foot.

Dean and Sam don't bother to hide their excitement, while Missouri looks like she may be hard to impress. Castiel closes his eyes and takes in a slow breath. The music begins to play.

_Fine. Let her doubt._

It wasn't that she doubted him. But Missouri had seen kids come and go, and a lot of them thought they had something that they didn't: Raw talent.

Castiel opens his mouth.

"_It won't be easy. You'll think it's strange_

_when I try to explain how I feel._

_That I still need your love,_

_after all that I've done._

_You won't believe me…_

_All you will see is the girl you once knew,_

_Although she's dressed up to the nines_

_After sixes and sevens with you."_

He opens his eyes, and looks up to see Dean. His heart skips a beat, because the other man looks almost enraptured. When Dean catches his gaze, he tries to smile, but it looks like it's beat down by some other emotion. Castiel assumes this is a good thing, and lets his eyes slide shut again.

"…_I had to let it happen; I had to change._

_Couldn't stay all my life down at heel._

_Looking out of the window, staying out of the sun._

_So I chose freedom._

_Running around, trying everything new._

_But nothing impressed me at all…_

_I never expected it to."_

Castiel takes in a quick breath, one hand pulling at the other's fingers in a sort of unconscious gesture.

"_Don't cry for me, Argentina._

_The truth is I never left you._

_All through my wild days, my mad existence,_

_I kept my promise._

_Don't keep your distance…"_

The music grows louder, so Castiel allows himself to be as well, as he repeats the chorus, note for note.

"…_Have I said too much?_

_There is nothing more I can think of_

_to say to you._

_But all you have to do_

_Is look at me to know that_

_Every word is true…"_

Castiel slowly lifts a hand as he finishes the last resonance, and there's an angelic smile on his face. This is his element; singing is what he's good at. He's not good at much, but singing is something he always could do. Something he could do to make his father and siblings (mostly Balthazar,) proud.

When Castiel opens his eyes again and the music dies down, everything is silent for a moment until Sam starts to clap and whoop, a big grin on his young face. Dean starts clapping next, and Castiel swears, even though he's sort of far away, that there's a sheen of tears over his eyes.

When his "glee coach" starts to clap, the world seems to be lifted from Castiel's shoulders for a moment. Missouri's grinning broadly, and finally stops clapping to yell, "You _killed_ it, boy! You've definitely got some range! Yes, definitely yes."

Castiel wants to cry in happiness, and claps a hand over his mouth because he's a little dizzy.

"Welcome to glee club, Castiel."

Castiel leaves the stage quickly after collecting his music, and before he can even look to Dean and thank him for clapping, he gets practically tackled in a bro-hug. Dean pulls away all too quickly though, but Castiel doesn't mind because the other teen is smiling so wide it's a wonder his face isn't cracking.

"Dude… That was _awesome_." He compliments sincerely, "You kinda made me like that sissy song!"

Sam laughs. "Seriously. You're good, Cas." The boy leans against his brother, and Castiel smiles sheepishly, nodding in thanks before turning to Missouri. He bows his head. "…Thank you, ma'am." His voice is soft, and she pats on him with a lot of familiarity that doesn't unnerve Castiel, surprisingly.

"My pleasure, sweet thing."

Sam pokes his brother in the side. "Your turn," He says smugly, and Dean winces, but there's a smile on his face. "Fine, give me a sec…" Dean sighs, and gives Castiel's shoulder a squeeze before jogging for the stage. He hands the musicians the music, and moves to the microphone like he doesn't have a care in the world. Dean takes the mic with both hands and grins.

"Hit it!"

The band starts playing, and Missouri's eyes light up in recognition while Sam merely grins and whispers conspiratorially to Cas, "He's been practicing this all the way to school."

Unlike Castiel, Dean looks completely at home on stage, and he starts to sing with fervour.

"_Just a small-town girl,_

_Livin' in a lonely world._

_She took the midnight train goin' anywhere…_

_Just a city boy, _

_born an' raised in south Detroit._

_He took the midnight train goin' anywhere."_

Dean grins Castiel's way, and, right then and there, Castiel knows. This guy, with a singing voice that was deep and powerful and _real_, is going to rock his whole world and existence, in more ways than one.

Castiel is pretty sure that he's going to fall for Dean Winchester.

"_Seein' her in a smoky room,_

_A smell of wine and cheap perfume._

_For a smile they can share the night,_

_It goes on and on and on and on…_

_Strangers waiting,_

_Up and down the boulevard_

_Their shadows, searching in the night._

_Streetlight people, livin' just to find emotion,_

_Hiding somewhere in the night!"_

Dean punched the air once, a look of pure bliss on his face, as he waited through the music.

"_Workin' hard to get my fill,_

_Everybody wants a thrill._

_Paying anything to roll the dice,_

_Just one more time._

_Some will win, some will lose._

_Some will want to sing the blues._

_And now the movie never ends,_

_It goes on and on and on and on…_

_Strangers waiting, up and down the boulevard._

_Their shadows, searching in the night._

_Streetlights, people,_

_Livin' just to find emotion,_

_Hiding somewhere in the night!"_

Dean let the microphone stand swing forward like it was going to fall off the stage, but brought it close to him again by stepping back down on the mic's platform.

"_Don't stop believin',_

_Hold on to that feelin'!_

_Streetlight people…_

_Don't stop believing'!_

_Hold on to that feeling!_

_Streetlight people…_

_Don't stop!"_

Dean's head drops, and Castiel instantly starts clapping. Sam's beaming at his brother, and Missouri looks impressed.

Dean's off the stage a moment later, and hurries over. "So, what'd you- oof!" He makes a startled sound when his teacher slaps him upside the head. Growling, Dean gives her a confused look.

"The hell was that for?" He complains, and Missouri raises an eyebrow. "Why didn't you tell me you could sing, Dean Winchester?" She asks accusingly, and Dean merely glowers at her.

Finally, he looks Castiel's way, and they're both grinning like idiots at each other because they know that they can help this show choir club go places.

-x-x-x-


	3. Hang You up From the Heavens

**Word Count: 1, 726  
>Pairings: Destiel, established BalthazarGabriel, temporary and sort of one-sided Crowley/Castiel at one point, and mentions of Dean/Jo  
>Story Warnings: Slash, angst, alcohol use, some sexual content later on, and prostitution later on in the fic, as well.<strong>

**Track three/ Hang You Up From the Heavens**

/[+]\\

Castiel and Dean are introduced to the rest of their club right away, and Castiel is, he'd admit, a little intimidated.

The female lead is a girl named Cassie, and she _is_ pretty good. She's sassy and all business, while mostly nice, and it intimidates Castiel like hell. Dean seems to take a liking to her too, and that makes jealousy spike in him, just a little.

Of course, he doesn't say anything about it.

It turns out that Dean is appointed as the male lead, and Castiel isn't jealous about that at all. Dean's more confident than he'll ever be; he has better stage presence. After all, Castiel still has a big part, even as a backup singer. Besides, maybe he can get a solo or two. He hopes he will.

The other members include another girl called Ruby. She's a bit too touchy-feely for Castiel's comfort, and Dean whispers that she's pretty much "the school whore," as he called it. She's got a voice that's something like Amy Winehouse's, so she's good.

Then there's this guy named Garth, and he's weird as hell. He's got a loud mouth, and can dance better than he can sing.

And Tessa sort of keeps to herself. Sometimes she'll toss guarded looks Castiel's way, but that's about it. She sings like Hayley Williams, and Castiel wishes that she'd sing more, because he rather enjoys it when she does.

They still need more members, but it's early in the school year, so Missouri is confident that they'll gain more students. Now the glee club is practicing choreography, and since Ruby and Garth are the best dancers who've actually been trained, (besides Missouri,) they're mostly teaching it, on Castiel's sixth day of school.

"…One, two, three! Move your feet, Dean! Remember that you're like a tree; stiff on the bottom, free on top." Garth tries to coach Dean into the routine, in his own, strange way, but his pupil isn't very patient, and Dean's already getting irritated that the routine's hard to master. Dean's usually a pretty good dancer, so Castiel wonders whether his classmate's just having a bad day.

"Damn it, I'm moving as fast as I can!" Dean snaps after screwing up the routine at the last moment, and Castiel turns from his own work to look Dean's way with nervousness.

"…Dean," He starts, wringing the bottom of his light purple sweater with an embarrassed look, "If you want to… I mean, if you can… I can help you practice later."

Dean's irritated, angry look melts from the boy's face, and he fixes Castiel with a small, if a bit tired, smile. "Yeah, sure, Cas. Sounds good."

And they practice together after school until Dean gets it just right.

-x-x-x-

Dean and Castiel's lockers aren't really near each others', but they somehow manage to spend a lot of time together. At least, they walk to class together for as long as they can, and sometimes they eat lunch together. Dean still has other friends/people he hangs out with.

Castiel still has Anna, and she's sympathetic for her younger brother. "Give it some time," She says gently, snapping Castiel out of his trance, out of staring across the room at Dean Winchester. She smiles at her brother softly. "He's dealing with his own stuff. You notice the people he hangs out with always change, right?" Castiel stares at her for a moment with sombre eyes before his gaze drifts back Dean's way.

The other student is leaning back in his chair, talking it up to some girl on his left. She's pretty; an Asian girl who's unbelievably tiny, with breasts that are obviously not completely hers. Dean says something, and they both laugh. The girl's laughter isn't fake but it's flirty, while Dean is obviously forcing his laughter. His eyes say it.

What Anna said to him suddenly clicks for Castiel, and his head whips around to stare at her, wide-eyed and trembling. "…He's getting made fun of because of glee club." Anna's lips purse as she twirls her fork.

"Well, not exactly… But not as many people are hanging with him, you know?"

The guilt is evident on Castiel's darkening features, and Anna hurries to explain herself. "Dean offered to join, didn't he? He knew what he was getting into, and he still wanted to be a part of it. He's your friend."

Castiel picks up a spoonful of Jell-O, but heaves a sigh through his nose before simply setting it down. He sets an elbow in the table, and plops his chin into his hand so hard it makes his glasses slide down his nose. And then, of course, it reminds him of the fact that he doesn't have any contact lenses, because the money that he'd usually spend in buying his month's supply was taken by Gabriel and used for booze.

"…I _know_ he's my friend." Castiel says sullenly, still gazing across the lunchroom at Dean Winchester. _That's the problem._

Anna gives her younger brother a sympathetic look before poking a hole in her juice box, and raises an eyebrow when Castiel's face loses some colour. But when she turns her head, she sees why. Dean's up and walking their way, lunch tray in hand, and the busty Asian girl from earlier is gathering her lunch with an irritated air.

Castiel looks like he wants to melt into the floor, and it shows on his face that he thinks that Dean caught him staring and is here to tear him a new one. But when Dean reaches their table, he smiles sheepishly and scrubs a hand over his hair.

"…Hey, Cas, Anna. Mind if I sit?"

Anna beams at him. "No, not at all!" She scoots over, glancing to Castiel, who's bending his chewed-on straw in every which way, and staring at it like it's the most fascinating thing in the world. Dean isn't disconcerted though, and he sits beside Anna with a grateful smile.

"So, Cas," He drawls after a moment, and the spoken teen's head snaps up, making him drop the straw. His glasses fall from their spot on his nose to clatter to the table, and he makes a small squeak of surprise at the sound. He scrambles to push them back up his nose.

When he finally gets them to where he can see, he looks to Dean with raised eyebrows, cheeks flushed with obvious embarrassment. "…Y-yeah?"

Dean's smile only grows. "Didn't know you wore glasses." Castiel's gaze drops to his plate for a moment before he nods. "…I usually wear contact lenses. But due to… Unforeseen difficulties… I'm wearing my old glasses." Dean sips on his Gatorade, leaning back to toss an arm behind the back of his chair.

"Yeah? Y'know, I kinda like 'em. They bring out your eyes." Dean winces, and Anna has to suppress a giggle at Castiel's dumbfounded and a tad panicky expression. "…And yeah, that's probably the weirdest thing I've ever said. Sorry."

Castiel nods jerkily, and Anna gives Dean a roguish smile that makes Castiel instantly cautious of whatever she's planning. "Hey, Dean," She starts casually, "Why not come over tonight? Castiel said something about a duet in glee club, and he probably needs to practice."

If it was possible to die from embarrassment, poor Michael would have to be planning (and paying) for his youngest brother's funeral.

But Dean doesn't seem weirded out or anything like what Castiel expected him to look like. He merely tosses Castiel a grin. "Sounds like fun. Sam was gonna go fishing with my dad's friend Bobby, so I'm free for awhile. I'll come over. …If it's okay with you, Cas."

"It's fine!" Castiel's response is immediate, and he inwardly grimaces. The brunet takes a moment to collect himself before calmly nodding with a shy smile. "…I'd like that, Dean."

The other boy's grin broadens. "Sounds like a party."

-x-x-x-

"…So you're finally showing your pretty face around here again, huh?"

Gabriel leans against the doorjamb with a cheeky grin, arms crossed on his chest, and his younger brother, Balthazar, gives him a smirk.

"Now's as good a time as any, don't you think? This place is nice, by the way. Very… homey."

Balthazar had left the family without a word to anyone (save for Gabriel) nearly a year ago to pursue an acting career, and he hadn't called or showed up on their doorstep since. He'd only kept in contact with Gabriel, with whom he was always closest. Castiel had adored Balthazar, and was pretty upset and confused as to why his big brother left without saying goodbye. Even a call to simply say how Balthazar was doing would be welcome.

But now, Balthazar stands with his usual, cocky smirk on his face, and Gabriel can't help but smile softly back.

"…Hey, what can I say? It's somewhere to live." The shorter Novak pushes himself off the doorjamb, giving his brother a coy look. "So? The gig in Phoenix didn't work out?" Balthazar scoffs.

"It was much too hot to get any work done. Even working inside with air conditioning, it dries my skin out just so."

Both of them giggle together on the doorstep, and when the last chuckles had faded away, their gazes meet. For a long moment, neither men say a word. They simply gaze at each other, small smiles on their lips, before Gabriel moves before he or Balthazar can think.

Balthazar's arms wind around his brother's waist, pulling him closer as Gabriel backs him up into the side of the house. The shorter man yanks his brother down by the sides of his face for an open-mouthed, desperate kiss to which Balthazar returns with equal abandon. He has to lean down some to kiss Gabriel, but it's obvious that he doesn't mind, if the hands smoothing up and down his older brother's back are anything to go by.

Gabriel is the one to break the contact, but it's obvious that he doesn't want to. Still, he pulls away to nuzzle Balthazar's jaw, breathless and shivering. He's almost speechless, for once in a great, rare while.

"…Fuckin' missed you." He says softly against Balthazar's cheek, and he feels the other man smile as arms tighten around him.

"Missed you too. More than you know, Cupcake."

* * *

><p><em>Author's Notes *Waves* Hi there, readers! Thanks so much for taking time to read this fic. C: I'm pretty happy with it. Please don't let the warnings scare you off, either~ I currently have almost seven chapters written up so far, and I'm uploading them when I can. I'm planning for this fic to be ten to twelve chapters long, and I'm definitely finishing it. It'll be my first finished multi-chaptered fic._

_Again, a big thanks to the people who read, put this fic on their alerts, and, especially, review. I won't chew your head off for telling me if you don't like something, or think I should do something differently. But either way, like it or hate it, do leave me a note if you have the time!_


	4. Closest to Heaven That I'll Ever Be

**Word Count/ 3,338  
><span>Pairings:<span> Destiel, established Balthazar/Gabriel, temporary and sort of one-sided Crowley/Castiel at one point, and mentions of Dean/Jo  
><span>Story Warnings:<span> Slash, angst, alcohol use, some sexual content later on, and prostitution later on in the fic, as well.  
><strong>**  
><strong>Track Four Closest to Heaven That I'll Ever Be  
><strong>  
>[+]\**

Gabriel manages to pull his younger brother into the house as they kiss and paw at each other's shirts, and Balthazar backs the shorter man into the couch. The backs of Gabriel's knees hit the furniture, and he falls back onto it, Balthazar quickly dropping on top of him.

They giggle into each other's mouths, Balthazar's stubble scraping against Gabriel's jaw line, and arms are wrapped around his broad shoulders.

"…Cassie's been asking about you," Gabriel informs slowly, carefully, as he rubs circles onto his lover's back. Balthazar freezes, and gets a hard look on his face. He pulls up some, but Gabriel pulls him back down by his shoulders, eyes firm.

"You _are _staying, aren't you? For a little while?"

Balthazar is quiet for a long moment, one hand holding himself up while the other pets Gabriel's hair back. Finally, he gives a long-suffering sigh and smiles gently.

"…You got me. Yeah, I'll stay, Cupcake. Just to say hi. He's probably really pissed at me though." Balthazar's tone says that he feels guilty and angry at himself, and Gabriel grunts. "Yeah… he kinda is." He places his hands on the side of Balthazar's face, guiding his face back when the man looks away. Gabriel smiles knowingly at his brother.

"But it don't mean he doesn't wanna see ya." His tone is gentle, and Balthazar's eyes soften some. His fingers fiddle with the gold chain around his brother's neck as he obviously thinks about his youngest sibling, and Gabriel leans up on his elbows to kiss his lover tenderly. The gesture would have been surprising to near anyone else, but Balthazar saw these small displays of affection fairly often. It was probably the fact that they very rarely saw each other in person, but the shorter Novak was naturally a very touchy-feely person.

Not to say that Balthazar wasn't, either.

But all they could do now was cling to each other, fingers dragging across cheeks and forearms that haven't been explored in longer than either of them liked, and they were content to simply hold each other and share the same breaths for just a little while. It was rare that they'd have moments like this, especially in a place that they shared with their family.

They wouldn't understand what Gabriel and Balthazar had. …_Maybe_ Anna. _Maybe_ Castiel. But definitely not Michael. To him, it'd just be breaking several of the Bible's clearly-stated rules. Gay incest? Michael would probably force them out of the house himself.

The thoughts must have shown on Gabriel's pretty face, because Balthazar showers his whole face with butterfly kisses. "C'mon, love," He murmurs with a toothy grin, "Smile. I'm here, and you look so grim. It's hurting my feelings."

Gabriel can't hide the smile that makes itself known, and he hurriedly kisses his brother's lips like it's the last time they'll ever have the contact.

-x-x-x-

"It's not much, so don't be too disappointed, okay?"

"Dude, I live in a trailer. I doubt it's gonna put me off in any way. Unless you like, live in a sewer."

Castiel smiles at Dean over his shoulder. They're walking to Castiel's home from school (Anna left with a friend,) and Castiel is a bit ahead because Dean's bowlegged stride is a bit shorter than his own. And, well, he seemed to want to hang back some. Which was fine with Castiel, since they were still talking the whole way.

"Nope. Guess we're good, then."

They reach Castiel's home soon enough, and Dean looks pleased as he stares up at the old house.

"Pshh, and there I was, thinking that you lived in some little apartment or something." He grouches playfully, and Castiel gives a tiny, breathless-sounding laugh.

"That's impossible when your family's as big as mine." He says quietly, fishing in his jean pockets for his house keys. Dean comes up beside him, cocking an eyebrow with a grin that makes Cas weak in the knees.

"Can't wait to meet 'em."

Castiel pushes the door open and kicks off his sandals, telling Dean that he didn't have to do the same before shuffling into the kitchen, where the door to his "room" was. What he sees freezes him in place.

Gabriel is washing dishes, long sleeves pushed up past his elbows, and he's giggling. He's giggling because there are arms wrapped around his middle, and he's being rocked back and forth. There's a face hidden in his neck, and although Castiel can't see that face, he doesn't need to to know who it belongs to.

Gabriel sees Castiel and Dean two seconds later, and his eyes widen as he gently pushes Balthazar off of him.

"Cassie," Gabriel says it too quickly, and Balthazar's eyes rest on his younger brother. He manages a smile, and picks up a hand to wave it. "Hello there, Castiel."

Castiel's blue eyes are wide and his tongue feels like cotton in his mouth. He looks torn between crying and running away, and Dean places a hand on the teen's shoulder, squeezing gently. Castiel doesn't even jump, and forces out after a moment, "…Balthazar… It's been over a _year_."

Balthazar ducks his head as he takes a step forward, his lips a drawn, tight line. It cracks, though, into a faltering smile. "Surprised? I don't even know where to begin, Ca-"

"_No_," Castiel growls, taking a step back. He bumps into Dean in the process, but he doesn't seem to notice. Gabriel stares into the dishwater as Balthazar stiffens. "Castiel. I know I've been a really shitty big brother, but I swear to you, it's not like I was out doing drugs or something stupid like that-"

"And you couldn't let me know that?" The youngest Novak's voice is rising, and he whips around, grabbing Dean by the elbow in a move that's uncharacteristically bold.

"Balthazar, I don't want to hear it right now… I'm sorry, but…" He pauses, wavering, "…Dean and I are going to study. If you leave before we're done, at least yell that you're leaving us again."

Dean follows Castiel with an expression that's half confused and half impressed down the stairs and into the basement, and makes a surprised sound when Angel darts from the bed to Castiel's feet. He smiles, but it falls some when Castiel doesn't notice it. He still looks so tense.

Dean clears his throat. "…So… Brother problems?"

"Balthazar and Gabriel," Castiel answers a bit stiffly as he picks up his tuxedo cat. "They're two of my brothers."

Dean's eyebrows inch up in obvious surprise.

"…Oh. Sorry, I thought the short one might've been what's-his-name's… You know. No offence." Dean scratches the back of his neck, glancing around the room at the music posters, a little disappointed that there's no AC/DC or Metallica posters. Castiel nods as he lowers himself to sit on his desk, stroking the animal in his arms.

"They've always been like that," He says quietly, and Dean "hms" in response, deciding not to pursue the matter any further. Castiel obviously doesn't want to talk about it, so he decides not to press it. But it's Castiel who breaks the silence.

"My brothers, they…" Castiel pauses, searching for words, "Balthazar left. Without telling anyone." The brunet pulls at a fraying string from his duvet, unaware that he has Dean's full attention. "We were close, once. I only wonder what I did to make him hate me so much."

"It's not you," Dean interjects, and the other teen picks his head up curiously, doubt in his soulful eyes. His friend scratches his nose, not pleased with how his face feels hot all of a sudden. Damn chick-flick moments.

"You said you were close. I doubt you had any kinda falling-out, so he probably just has his own issues that he's gotta deal with. Sure he loves you, though." Dean's uncomfortable with moments like this, but he deals for his friend's sake. Castiel sits up some, a troubled look crossing his features.

"…He hasn't called once. I thought he was in trouble or worse, but Gabriel always insisted that we didn't need to call the police… Apparently Balthazar told him that he'd be back soon, and not to worry." He pulls his knees up to his chest, looking for all the world like an overgrown kid, especially with his too-big sweater and clunky glasses.

Or maybe he just looks like a _lost_ kid.

"I've missed him so much… And how I acted up there? Wasn't that too much? I want to talk to him and ask him what he's been doing and if he's gotten any good acting roles, and I pushed him away. He's probably already gone…" Castiel's small frame starts to shake, and he starts to breathe quickly as his lower lip wobbles. Dean hurriedly moves over.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa… Take it easy, Cas. He's still up there, I guarantee you. He's probably just wondering why the hell he did what he did." The teen gives Cas' shoulder a friendly squeeze. "Do you wanna go talk to him? I know I came over here to practice, but that can wait. This is kinda important to you, so…" Dean's hand slips away, but it had been on Castiel's shoulder long enough to give him some confidence. He looks up at his friend gratefully.

"…Thank you, Dean."

His taller classmate shrugs like it's not a big deal. Both of them, somehow, know better. "Sure. Now, let's go see… What was his name again? Jeez, some of you guys have the weirdest names."

-x-x-x-

"I fucked up, Gabriel!" Balthazar barks thickly, and his lover follows him into the living room, trying hard to get him to calm down.

"Just give him a little while, hun. He's going to act like that at first. Give him some time, and he'll be right back up here-"

"And how do you know that?" Balthazar hisses, whirling around to face his brother, chest heaving as his fists flex at his sides. Gabriel looks mildly peeved, but the look leaves his eyes almost immediately. The irritation makes way for fond amusement as the young man places a small hand on Balthazar's upper arm.

"Because I know for one that _I _can't even stay pissed at you. Much less sweet Castiel."

Balthazar is quiet for a long moment as he and his brother simply study each other's faces, and his eyes must prick with tears because he lowers his gaze, unable to look at Gabriel any longer. He gently pulls his older sibling into a tight embrace that's probably as much as an apology as it is a means to comfort himself.

"…I'm sorry," He croaks out, and Gabriel smiles as he wraps both arms around Balthazar's neck. "Don't worry about it, sweets. Just stop your cryin'." They pull away from each other a few inches, and Gabriel leans up on his toes to place a quick peck to Balthazar's lips before gently pushing himself off and away. His hands still linger on his brother's chest though. Gabriel is about to suggest that they go and watch a movie or something when he watches as his younger brother's eyes widen some. Gabriel turns his head.

Castiel is standing in the doorway, looking scared and sheepish and out of place, and he's doing that thing where he wrings the bottom of his shirt in his hands. Dean is a few feet away, and is probably simply there for support. Balthazar stiffens, and Gabriel drops his hands from his taller lover's chest, turning and clearing his throat. Castiel drops his head.

"Balthazar, Dean and I… We are going to practice for glee club in my room for a little while. Are you going to be… Are you gonna be here when we're done?"

Everything goes quiet for a long moment, and everyone is tense until Balthazar relaxes and smiles. The smile is sad and anything but mirthful, but it's enough to put Cas at ease.

"…Yeah, Cas. I'll be here."

-x-x-x-

With that settled, Castiel had left for his room with Dean, in obvious high spirits. It occurred to Dean that his friend is probably the type to forgive people for most anything, and as much as it confuses him, it doesn't surprise him.

The pair are back in Castiel's room, with Dean sitting on the bed while the other teen sits at his desk. They chat about everything from what they had for dinner last night to schoolwork (and Dean's only missed one day out of the two months that Castiel has been attending the school,) and eventually they reach the topic of show choir.

"…Me and Ruby are actually training for that duet, ya know? We're singin' that song "At the Beginning" for that _Anastasia_ show we're doin'." Dean's face drops some, and he laughs nervously.

"Sorry. That's just stupid, wanting you to be singing a girl's part-"

"Dean, I don't care about that." Castiel replies with a chuckle, smiling wide as he sits up some. His friend flushes, and nods quickly.

"Oh… Good. That's great. You uh, you know the lyrics?" Dean scrubs a hand over his hair, and Castiel pushes his glasses the bridge of his nose. "Yeah."

The two stare at each other for a second or two before Castiel gets up with a small sigh under his breath. He opens his laptop and heads to YouTube, letting the video load for a minute as he sets the computer up on his desk. Dean and Castiel peer at each other as the teen with glasses starts the music, and he licks his lips as the piano plays, opening his mouth after closing his eyes.

"_We were strangers, starting out on a journey,_

_Never dreaming what we'd have to go through._

_Now here we are, and I'm suddenly standing at the beginning with you,"_

Castiel doesn't try to sound the part of a woman, and is merely himself. Himself is definitely good enough. Dean has to tamp down a smile when the other boy throws a shy one his way, and picks up his part easily.

"_No one told me, I was going to find you. Unexpected, what you did to my heart._

_When I lost hope you were there to remind me-"_

"_**This is the start…"**_

Castiel sings along carefully, lacing his fingers behind his back as they start singing the chorus, almost wanting to take a step back when Dean stands. He doesn't, though.

"_**And life is a road, and I wanna keep going.**_

_**Love is a river I wanna keep flowing.**_

_**Life is a road, now and forever, a wonderful journey.**_

_**I'll be there when the world stops turning, I'll be there when the storm is through. In the end I wanna be standing at the beginning with you."**_

Dean's voice is smooth and easy to listen to, and although Castiel can't quite admit it to himself right then and there, they sound amazing together. They really do, and Dean really thinks it, even though Castiel can't imagine his friend thinking so. Even if there's that gleam in Dean's eye that says he's doing what he loves right now, and there's not a trace of discomfort or awkwardness anymore.

"_**Knew there was somebody somewhere, not me alone in the dark.**_

_**Now I know my dream will live on,**_

_**I've been waiting so long.**_

_**Nothing's gonna tear us apart…"**_

The louder music fills the room and Castiel feels absolutely exhilarated, and grins with his companion. His eyes widen in surprise when Dean's hands move to take his own, which had been lying on his chest, and gasps when the other teen swings their clasped hands side to side. He manages to keep up with Dean, though, as they open their mouths to sing again.

"_**Then life is a road and I wanna keep going,**_

_**Love is a river I wanna keep flowing.**_

_**Life is a road, now and forever, a wonderful journey.**_

_**I'll be there when the world stops turning,**_

_**I'll be there when the storm is through,**_

_**In the end I wanna be standing**_

_**At the beginning…"**_

Dean stops their swinging side-to-side arms, and swallows as his face grows serious. Castiel can't help but stare himself, and while his friend is staring down at him, he's staring up at Dean.

"_**With you."**_

The last notes from the piano fade away into the air, and Castiel somehow can't pull his gaze away from Dean's. It's like the movies, like even _Anastasia_, where time stops and there's magic in the air. Dean and Castiel's hands are still clasped between them, and for a small, fleeting moment, as Castiel peers up at his friend, he wants to think that Dean's actually going to kiss him. Just like in the movies.

It doesn't happen. Dean seems to force a smile before squeezing his shorter friend's hands, and then he takes a big step back, turning away with a heavy sigh. Castiel watches him with wide, confused eyes, and tries to push down the feeling of disappointment growing in his chest. Dean finally turns back to him, his face and eyes almost robotically blank, except for a fixed smile.

"That was awesome, Cas. I mean it. You're as great as always."

The praise only makes the pang in his chest hurt more, and Castiel nods forcefully, false smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. It hurts. It hurts because Castiel thought for just a second that he, a geeky, awkward, glee club kid, would actually have a chance with Dean, who was the boy-next-door type of guy that every _girl_ wanted.

He shouldn't have done this. Dean shouldn't be here with him. He should be off with the girl from the lunchroom, or some other girl who had her whole normal future ahead of her. Not a Broadway-hopeful boy who doesn't have a clue about the world.

"…Thank you, Dean. I thought you were amazing too." Castiel isn't looking at his friend, and he turns to shut his computer with a snap. "Dean, I think… I think I want to talk to my brother now. I think you should leave."

Castiel's voice holds a strange emotion, even if Dean can't see his face. The taller man blinks in surprise, and straightens with a bit of a hard (but mostly serious) look.

"Cas. Look, sorry I asked you to sing a girl's part, man." He says with a bit of a grudging tone, and Castiel whips around, an almost wild look in his eyes as he rushes to explain himself more.

"That's not what I- No! I don't care about that. I thought we did great. It's just…" The laugh that Castiel huffs out is anything but brought about by humour, "…Sorry. It's stupid. I'll see you at school, okay?" Castiel fixes his friend with a pleading look from behind his glasses. His chest was moving up and down in quick breaths, and he really looked like he's about to start crying.

"…Please." He says with a strained voice, barely above a whisper. Today's been too much for him. First Balthazar, and now this? Castiel can't deal with it all at once.

Dean stares at him with eyes that are inscrutable, and finally the other man nods slowly, licking his lips.

"…Okay, Cas," He says quietly after a long moment, "You got it. See you at school."

Dean is slow to leave, and Castiel manages to focus on his breathing and not cry as he listens to the "clang, clang" of his friend's boots on the metal stairs. Once the door swings open and shut, though, he can't hold it back anymore. The lump in his throat starts to hurt, and salty tears start to roll down his cheeks, fogging up his glasses in the process.

And for the first time in a long time, Castiel feels truly sorry for himself. He sobs uncontrollably, his whole body shaking with the force of his grief and inner turmoil.


	5. It is to You I Give This Tune

**Pairings: Destiel, established Balthazar/Gabriel, temporary and sort of one-sided Crowley/Castiel at one point, and mentions of Dean/Jo  
><span>Story Warnings:<span> Slash, angst, alcohol use, some sexual content later on, and prostitution later on in the fic, as well.  
><span>Word Count:<span> 4,086**

**Track Five/ It is to You I Give This Tune**

**/[+]\\**

Castiel emerged from his room after awhile, and both Balthazar and Gabriel greeted him happily. They were their usual selves; Gabriel cracking jokes about everything from Dean to Balthazar's near nonexistent acting career, and Balthazar trashing all the latest TV shows, music, and reality TV stars that he deemed "without class or sense."

Castiel found the familiarity to be unbelievably comforting. He also found it pretty easy to forget about the fact that his older brother had been gone for so long in favour of the fact that Balthazar was actually _here_, so he did. They all talked and joked until Gabriel decided to order pizza, and Castiel was the happiest he'd been in awhile, here with his brothers.

But Dean hung in the back of his mind the entire time, because Castiel knows that how he sent him away earlier was wrong. Dean was a guy who didn't open up for other people; he was the type to simply tell people to get over themselves and their hurts. But he'd actually _been there _for Cas.

-x-x-x-

Michael comes home at six, like he usually does. What he sees when he walks in is Castiel on the loveseat, watching _Titanic_ with all the concentration in the world. Balthazar is trashing the movie with everything he has and has Gabriel cuddled into his side on the couch. Balthazar's arm is around his big brother's shoulders, and Michael steps loudly to announce himself.

All three of his brothers turn curiously, and Balthazar and Gabriel instantly detangle themselves from each other. Michael's expression is hard, and he doesn't spare his brothers another glance.

"Balthazar," He says stiffly, and his younger brother forces a smile. "Michael. You look great," He quips.

Michael sets his keys on the counter, seeming to pause before calmly continuing.

"You need to leave."

Balthazar blinks in surprise, and Gabriel instantly springs to his defence, jumping off the sofa with his fists clenched. "Hold on, Mikey," He growls, "What the hell is your problem? No 'it's good to see you, bro?' You're just telling him to get out? _Really?_"

Michael turns with a scowl. "He's been gone for as long as he was, and he just comes home and uses up electricity and space? No. He can just leave. When you start paying the bills, maybe you can have some say in that."

Castiel watches with wide eyes, unsure of whether he should butt in or not, when Gabriel gets that look on his face that says he's about to do something stupid. Balthazar seems to notice, but he doesn't stop Gabe when his brother takes his hand.

"He can stay in my bed. He's not going to take up any space at all." The snarky man says in a sarcastic sweet tone, and Michael's lips twitch when he turns. He's quiet for a long time before he says, with a tone laced with venom, "If you don't like it, you can get out, too."

"Why?" Gabriel challenges, his grip on his lover's hand tightening. "Because I actually care for this family more than you ever could, you heartless bastard? Or is it because I'm fucking our brother?" The man's tone got louder and louder, and Balthazar's face remains blank the whole time. Castiel's mouth opens slightly in surprise, but really. He wasn't _too _shocked. It was probably more the harsh curse that startled him.

Balthazar and Gabriel are kind of perfect for each other anyway, in his mind. It didn't really weird him out, either. It was kind of nice, people who had always been so close, developing a romantic relationship. Michael obviously doesn't think the same, judging by his dark expression.

"I am well aware of the activities that you have been up to, Gabriel." He informs, and Balthazar finally steps in, anger tamped down impressively. "Don't think that we forced each other into anything. We're both consenting adults, and if you honestly think that this is the same as the trifles I've had in the past, then you are sadly mistaken. Who are you to tell us how we can live?"

Balthazar's face is stony, and Michael's expression now betrays nothing. He looks to gather his bearings before coyly replying.

"…Funny, how you two managed to keep up your 'relationship' over the whole time that Balthazar was gone," He says slowly, and Gabriel instantly stiffens. "Michael, don't-"

"It's almost like you've been keeping in touch the whole time!" Michael speaks with false incredulousness, and Castiel looks to Gabriel and Balthazar, his breath coming faster.

He stands from the loveseat, licking his lips before softly saying "…Gabriel? Balthazar?" in a voice that sounds like he's swallowed gravel. Balthazar's mouth opens and closes, and he seems unable to look his younger brother in the eye. Gabriel's the one to start explaining, though.

"Cassie, look. It's not like that. Bal's acting career isn't as hot as he'd like it to be, and he didn't want you to-" Gabriel looks unsure of what to do as Castiel starts to tear up. The teen hurries to his room before his brothers can even say another word, and Gabriel looks to his younger brother before shrugging uselessly.

"…Well. That's it, folks."

Michael looks disgusted. "Do you think this is _funny_, Gabriel?"

"Screw you. You're the one who told him, asswipe. If you'd kept your damn mouth shut…" Gabriel trails off, rubbing his face with both hands as he tries to calm down, his small form shaking dangerously. Balthazar takes his wrists, and gives him a serious look before lying a gentle kiss to each of Gabriel's palms. It's a surprisingly romantic gesture for him, and he smiles at Gabriel, looking sadder than he probably meant to.

"Come on. We'll get a hotel for a little while, and figure it out from there," Balthazar smooths back his brother's brown hair. His voice is soothing and soft, and Gabriel nods quickly. "Yeah… Okay," He breathes, leaning up on his toes to place a kiss on the corner of Balthazar's lips. He looks tired and almost gaunt, and Balthazar sends Michael a warning look and an almost mockingly polite nod before steering his lover out the door.

Michael doesn't look back at his brothers once.

-x-x-x-

Castiel doesn't sleep more than an hour that night. When he finally does reluctantly fall asleep, he dreams of Dean and Balthazar. The dreams are bloody and, while he knows that they're just dreams, he wakes up in tears.

-x-x-x-

Anna meets Castiel at school the next day.

"Castiel!" She chirps as she approaches her brother, obviously in a good mood from the sleepover she had with her friend Jo the night before. "…What's up? Hey, are you okay?"

It takes all the self control he can muster not to break down and cry right then and there. Castiel explains all that happened, including Balthazar coming home, and he and Gabriel leaving. Anna squawks about their brother's homecoming especially, calling Balthazar a terrible brother and saying all the things that she probably hopes will make Castiel feel a little better. It does. Castiel isn't a spiteful person though, so he doesn't spill the beans about his brothers' relationship.

Anna also consoles him about Dean, and says that the guy probably feels somehow guilty, since it seems like he's not coming to school today. Castiel automatically feels responsible, and his sister just chuckles and tells him that they'll sort it out.

The school day is long and tedious, and even though they have no glee club practice today, Missouri isn't pleased when she finds that Dean's absent. The way that she looks at Castiel says that she knows that something's happened, but, luckily, she doesn't say anything except for Cas to tell Dean to not be a stranger.

Finally, school is over, and Anna meets him at the front of the school. She suggests walking home together, and Castiel agrees to walk her there, but says that afterwards he's going to head to the cemetery. Instead of laughing or poking fun at him like most people have or would, she simply nods, understanding in her eyes. Castiel is a person who, at times, needs his space. And right now, he needs to be alone.

-x-x-x-

The sun is hot on Castiel's head as he heads to the cemetery. He's grown pretty fond of the place in the time he's been here, and Castiel is so eager to go deep into the graveyard to be alone, he doesn't notice a familiar Chevy parked not too far away.

Castiel makes a beeline for his usual bench near back of the cemetery, after visiting Mary Winchester, of course. The bench he sits on is at the foot of the graves belonging to a mother and her seven-year-old son, both of whom apparently died a couple years back in a car accident. Castiel likes to sit and sing quietly to himself here, and sometimes he'll just walk among the graves, reading the names and wondering who they were and how they lived.

Gingerly, Castiel sits on the cool marble bench, setting his messenger bag on the grass at his feet. He closes his eyes and takes in the smell of freshly cut grass, and he feels so wonderfully at peace that it frees his mind and makes him feel like singing. Castiel _is_ in a rather good mood, despite everything, but he still picks a song that makes him feel a bit sad. The song, somehow, reminds him of his childhood. Reminds him of Dean, too, but he's careful not to linger on that thought for too long.

Castiel hums the melody for a while until he opens his mouth to take in a breath.

"_I walked across an empty land._

_I knew the pathway like the back of my hand._

_I felt the Earth beneath my feet._

_Sat by the river and it made me complete._

_Oh, simple thing, where have you gone?_

_I'm getting old and I need something to rely on._

_So tell me when you're gonna let me in._

_I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin."_

Castiel peers at the treetops that sway in the breeze, smiling softly to himself.

"…_I came across a fallen tree._

_I felt the branches of it looking at me._

_Is this the place we used to love?_

_Is this the place that I've been dreaming of?_

_And-"_

"_-If you have a minute, why don't we go?"_

Castiel leaps up and whips around at the unexpected voice, heart thudding wildly against his chest as his cheeks flush.

Dean is a couple feet behind him, and the other teen waves a little, sheepishly, before the hand falls back to his side. He stuffs the hand in his jeans pocket, and they are both quiet for a brief moment before Castiel starts singing again, wariness in his eyes. Dean sings along, a smile in his voice.

"…_**Talk about it, somewhere only we know?**_

_**This could be the end of everything,"**_

There's a look in Castiel's eyes as he sings that says he's feeling a little emotional, but his voice doesn't show it.

"_**So why don't we go,**_

_**Somewhere only we know,"**_

Dean takes a couple steps forward, smiling when Castiel doesn't back away, and sheepishly offers a hand. His friend, staring with shock and apprehension, takes it gently and allows Dean to guide him as they slowly walk, their singing slowing, almost dragging out the words more, like neither of them wants the moment to end.

"_**Somewhere only we know. Somewhere only we know…"**_

The silence between them stretches on for a long moment, with Castiel staring at his shoes, and Dean staring at Castiel. Finally, the shorter teen blurts, "Dean, I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. It's just Balthazar, and he… He was gone for so long, and he suddenly shows up, and then I drove you away when you were the one there for me…" The tears start to slide down his cheeks, and Castiel's shaking. He hates himself a little for crying in front of Dean, but his friend only surprises him by throwing an arm around his shoulders, drawing him into his side.

"Cas, don't worry about it. I know you didn't mean it. You're just… You know. _Stressed_. It's okay. Really." Dean is a bit awkward as he rubs circles on Castiel's shoulder, and the sniffling teen is happy that he has his contact lenses now, so he wouldn't be fogging up his glasses. He manages to force down his fear and glance up after the tears seem to have stopped, and swallows.

Dean's just grinning at him, all goofy and carefree, and Castiel can't help but smile back. He can't help the laugh that bubbles out of his throat either, and soon enough he's leaning into Dean and the both of them are standing in the middle of a cemetery, giggling like a couple of giddy idiots.

They come down from their high of laughter all too soon, and when they both turn to exchange looks, they're too close. They're close enough that their noses almost touch, and Dean swallows hard, throat clicking.

"…No glasses today." He murmurs, sounding somewhat awkward. He doesn't pull away, though.

Castiel smiles nervously. "No. Got my contact lenses last night. Did you… Dean, do I look weird?" He sounds worried for a moment, and Dean chuckles. Castiel loves how he can feel it, actually touching him like this.

"Nah. You never look weird, Cas."

The pair both look like they want to say something, but neither seems to be able to get it out. Castiel pats Dean's chest with another nervy smile, intending to reluctantly pull away because his friend was probably over the whole "closeness" deal. And yet, instead of pulling away himself, Dean pulls Castiel closer by the hand on his friend's shoulder.

There's a split second of hesitation, and in that fleeting moment Castiel shudders when their breaths mingle between them, but then Dean's free hand finds his waist, and lips are softly pressed into his.

And there's _electricity_. It's like a surge of energy just runs up Castiel's back, spreading across his body and limbs and making him feel warm and wanted. Castiel can't think about anything except _DeanDeanDean_, and it doesn't matter that they're standing in a cemetery, or that it's not on a beach with the sun setting behind them. Somehow, the uniqueness of this moment gets Castiel even more caught up in the magic of the moment, and he feels like his heart's going to get lodged in his throat somehow.

It's indescribable, and Castiel knows that, as long as he lives, he'll never forget his first kiss that was shared with a smart-alecky, street-smart boy named Dean Winchester.

Castiel immediately wraps his arms around Dean's neck, eyelids sliding shut as he hesitantly returns the kiss. He's never kissed anyone before, and here he was, with _Dean Winchester_ kissing him like he's the only one in the world. A guy who's probably been around the block more than a few times. It's more than he could have ever hoped for.

And _damn it_, he's not letting Dean get away.

In response, Dean squeezes him tighter and hums lightly as their lips move together, and Castiel's kisses, while lacking technique, make up for it with his enthusiasm. It's short and sweet, and although it seems like Dean wants to make the kiss deeper, he's the one to pull away. The teen opens his eyes and smiles sheepishly at Castiel, but looks confused at the tears that prick at the shorter man's eyes.

"Hey… What's wrong?" Dean's voice is wrecked and he looks like he's not sure what to do, and Castiel laughs breathlessly. Wiping at his eyes, he shakes his head, smiling up at Dean.

"Nothing. That's the thing."

They both crack into grins, and Dean kisses Cas again, this time a little more forcefully, and Castiel sighs in contentment.

They stand together like that, arms wrapped around each other, kissing, touching, and talking about all the normal things, until Dean says that they should head back for Castiel's bag. The teen agrees.

They don't hold hands or anything, but the appreciation Castiel feels for Dean opening up to him makes him think. When they reach the marble bench again, Dean picks up the bag, slinging it over Cas' shoulders for him, and Castiel hesitantly clears his throat.

"Dean…" He says slowly, and Dean raises his eyebrows.

"…It's just… I don't understand. You're not the type of person to do this kind of thing. You don't open up to people." The young man flushes, desperately wanting to not mess this up, whatever "this" was. But Dean only nods, tongue in his cheek.

"I know it. I dunno, Cas... I mean, I don't even open up to _Sammy_ about some things." Dean licks his lips, snorting. "Guess I think I've gotta be this big, tough guy when he's around. You know? He's my little brother. It's always been my job to protect him. Make sure he's taken care of. I can't sit with him and talk about my feelings or whatever, 'cause… I dunno. I guess I think he'll see me as weak?"

Dean's eyes have a faraway look to them. "And… I guess I know that I need him more than he needs me. But with you… It's kinda different. 'Cause you need somebody, and you need somebody to be strong. …It's just good to feel needed, Cas. I can talk about stuff like that with you." Dean looks entirely out of place, talking about his feelings and fears, and Castiel's chest tightens in the realization that Dean, most likely, hasn't discussed something like this in quite a long time.

It's a big responsibility that Castiel is taking, he knows. Being there for Dean through whatever, through thick and thin, no matter what won't be an easy job, sure, but he knows that he needs Dean just as badly (if not more so) as Dean needs him. Castiel manages a smile and nods, his throat feeling constricted.

"I know. I know, Dean…" He wraps his arms around Dean's middle, lying the side of his face on one of his friend's shoulders. Dean seems to relax some. However, he simply stiffens again when Castiel whispers, quite obviously nervous, "So… Um… Dean, what are we…? What is… This?"

"Cas… Maybe we shouldn't hurry to slap a label on it. We'll just keep doing what we want. Don't need nobody to tell us how the hell to do something."

Castiel tries to ignore the pit in his stomach. "…Sorry." Dean instantly seems to feel sorry for his irritated tone, since he tenderly kisses the spot behind the other teen's ear before slowly pulling away. His face is sad, and a little sheepish.

"Hey, forget I said it. It's just…" He pauses, eyebrows furrowed as he searches for the words, and he chews on his bottom lip. "…We can't say anything about this at school. You know? I-I don't want you to get hurt. If anybody said anything to you, I…" Dean's fists clench in Castiel's t-shirt, and the smaller man gives his friend a reassuring squeeze, closing his eyes.

"I understand, Dean. It's okay, really. I know how you feel. I don't want people to treat you differently, either. It's a miracle you got people to look at glee club in a semi-positive light," He smiles, and Dean can't help his twitching lips.

"Hey, man. I'm a glee stud!" He says it in his usual cocky tone, a grin on his lips. Castiel laughs softly.

"Oh, really. Sorry, but you look more like a football jock, Dean." Cas giggles, and Dean looks mildly offended as he gently shoves his companion's shoulder. "Aw, shaddup."

The two are quiet for a long moment. They avoid each other's eyes, and eventually Dean slaps his thigh.

"Well… Cas, I better get outta here. Was gonna watch a movie with Sammy. You want a ride?" Dean looks a little hopeful, and Castiel almost opens his mouth for an enthusiastic "yes," but a reluctant expression flashes across his face before he can even attempt to conceal it. After what had happened at his home last night, Cas is extremely reluctant to face Michael and Anna. He feels like a failure, somehow.

Dean gives Castiel a knowing look. He's been there more times than he can count. Not that he'd tell Castiel that. At least, not yet. "…Something happened. Y'know… Not to sound weird or anything, but you can stay at my place for the night if you need some time off from the fam." He smirks. "I'll let you crash on the couch, 'cause I'm a real generous guy like that."

Castiel instantly lights up, laughing at the other teen's words. "That would be great. I really appreciate it, Dean." The young man's voice sounds strained, and Dean nods quickly, slipping a hand onto Cas' shoulder before steering him towards the Impala.

"Good. And just so you know, we're listening to some good music tonight. None of your sissy stuff. I'm talking Zep and Sabbath, baby."

Castiel groans, feigning a pained grimace. "Dean, come on… None of that loud stuff you listen to."

Dean cackles. "Oh yeah, pretty boy."

When the boys are safely in the car, Dean turns the key, and Castiel jumps a mile, even with his seatbelt on, as a guitar rift was blasted in his ears by the tape that was no doubt in the cassette player. Castiel turns to give Dean a pouty look, and the other teen laughs out loud, and laughs even harder when Castiel tries to talk over the music.

"Dean! Turn it down, please? My ears are bleeding…" He begs, and Dean waggles his eyebrows.

"Come on, man! You love this song. Don't act like you don't."

While Castiel couldn't deny that this _is_ one of his favourite older songs, it's still too loud. But when Dean grinned at him and started singing along, all goofy, he couldn't help but laugh. Dean slaps the steering wheel as he puts the car in reverse, and sends gravel flying. Castiel sends a mental sorry to all the poor people buried in the cemetery for the disturbed peace, and grins as he watches Dean, content to let the wind tousle his hair even further as Dean sings.

"_Hey lady, you got the love I need._

_Maybe, more than enough._

_Oh Darlin', Darlin', Darlin', walk awhile with me._

_Oh you got so much, so much, so much."_

Castiel feels his cheeks go hot when Dean winks his way, but laughs out loud at the stupid singing Dean is doing, since he's jokingly trying to imitate Robert Plant's vocal highs. It's still sweet, all the same.

"_Many have I loved, and many times been bitten,_

_Many times I've gazed upon the open road._

_Many times I've lied and many times I've listened,_

_Many times I've wondered how much there is to know._

_Many dreams come true and some have silver linings._

_I live for my dream and a pocket full of gold."_

Watching Dean loosen up, singing and driving and the most carefree that Castiel's seen him in a long time makes Cas smile softly to himself, elbow propped up on the bench seat. Dean looks so… He wants to use the word "natural," for lack of a better word, here in his classic Chevy, singing his heart out (of course, not in his actual singing voice) to Led Zeppelin. It's heart-warming.

"_Mellow is the man who knows what he's been missin',_

_Many many men can't see the open road._

_Many is a word that only leaves you guessin',  
>Guessin' 'bout a thing you really ought to know.<br>You really ought to know.  
>I really ought to know.<em>_"_

The guitar's bluesy-rock tone fills the air, and it's like medicine that they both need, after what they'd been up to and talking about in the cemetery. Luckily, medicine like this certainly goes down easy, and Dean nods his head to the beat. Smirking, Castiel reaches to turn the music down just enough so that he won't have to shout.

"I'm not a lady, you know." He says coyly, and Dean snorts. "Who says I was singin' about you, huh?"

His only response was Castiel leaning across the bench to kiss him on the cheek.

And no, Dean totally didn't blush.

* * *

><p><em>Gotta love Dean and Cas. ;D I love this chapter, 'cause it has my all-time favourite song, along with my favourite Led Zeppelin song. Let me know what you think of the fic if you have the time, and maybe what songs <em>you_ would like to see._


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